


The Colours of Harvest

by AlphaLlama



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Between Tokyo Ghoul and Tokyo Ghoul: re, England (Country), Family Secrets, Ghoul Cannibalism (Tokyo Ghoul), Ghouls, Inspired by Tokyo Ghoul, Multi, Original Character-centric, Spin Off
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-22 16:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30041658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaLlama/pseuds/AlphaLlama
Summary: How did Kaneki's surgery effect the ghouls who heard about it? Did learning that humans could become half ghouls effect their society?Experimental fic set in the Tokyo Ghoul universe, Spin-off series.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	1. Human Nature

“Mum, Rei’s outside.” Harvey was seventeen and the chip in his tooth made his words whistle, a recent occurrence he had yet to explain to his parents.

“Rei?” His mother, ageless and with wavy dark blond hair down her back had to think for a moment before she could respond, “Harvey, that’s not funny. Rei… isn’t with us anymore.” She pursed her lips and returned to putting away the recently dried dishes.

“But Mum.” Harvey pointed to the door, a determined spark in his eyes.

“Thats enough Junior.” His dad, hands full of soup bubbles, looked over his shoulder at his son. Peering over his glasses with a very parental look on his face that said _stop now before you get in trouble._ The floorboards creaked as Harvey huffed and stomped away, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“I wonder what brought that on.” Harvey senior ran the tap over the last plate from that nights dinner and scrubbed it with a wire sponge.

“He’s at that age, the age where he _has_ to upset his parents because he’s recently discovered they’re human and have emotions too.” Jolene tried not to look at the kitchen table, missing posters for her brother lay freshly printed and ready to replace the weather-worn ones plastered all over town. “But why Rei?” She would have jumped for joy if her son had said Takiyo was outside, but his son Rei had been dead for almost five years now.

Jolene and Takiyo were not related by blood, they had been adopted by the same couple and grew up as brother and sister. Until recently, Takiyo had been living with his sisters family. It had started off as a temporary thing after loosing his son, but time had marched on as it has a funny habit of doing and everyone seemed to loose track of how long it had been. Jolene let out a sigh and felt the comforting hand of her husband squeeze her shoulder.

“Jo. We both saw those men in town, we both know what that means.” He wrapped his arms around her, her families secret safely hidden between them. The men he was referring too had caught the glances of many townsfolk, and not just because they had been strangers. The white attache cases they’d carried faithfully around with them had whisked up a storm of whispers and rumours.

“At least my parents are safe, but Takiyo… if they had found him, surely they’d have come here straight after?” Jolene had always felt a distance between her and her adopted family that she could never quite reach across, after all, they had been ghouls.

Her parents were loving, kind and protective just as any parent should be. But the’d never sat down for a family meal the way she did now, she’d always had a suspicion that she’d been adopted to keep up appearances, but tried not to ever let it bother her. In fact, she felt guilty considering it after the memories of how caring her parents had been came back to her. The daily attempts to cook human food, the lunches they made for her to take to school and the way the’d never allowed her to see the kinds of things they, and her brother, had eaten.

Jolene’s husband knew, although it had taken a few years for her to convince her parents that it was safe for him to learn their secret. His worry had faded quickly and at times Jolene forgot that her bother, ever cooped up in the spare bedroom, wasn’t human. The kids, however, weren’t told. “I’ll talk to him.” She nodded to herself, “better put Hero and Willow to bed too.”

Making her way up the creaking steps of their converted barn home, Jolene paused outside of her eldest son’s room. The thumping baseline of his music made the picture frames rattle, she was about to knock, but decided to wait a little longer. Moving onwards towards the other bedroom. Willow and Hero had built a blanket fort that stretched from onside of the room to the other. Part of it collapsed in a series of light thumps as Jolene entered the room. “Moooommmm you destroyed the east wing!” Hero’s red cheeks popped up from between suspended blankets.

“Mom? I’ve got to pay more attention to which American cartoons you’ve been watching. And east is that way dear.” She raised and eyebrow and began to bundle up the fallen blankets.

“I told you!” Willow crawled up onto her bed, ten years old and just as energetic as her two older brothers.

“Alight, Bedtime. Tomorrow is the weekend so you can keep the fort up, but it’s gone by Sunday afternoon. Okay?” She clapped her hands and stepped carefully over piles of pillows she didn’t even know she owned to get to their bedsides. First kissing Willow on the forehead, then ducking around the curtain that separated their rooms to say goodnight to Hero.

“When will I have my own room back?” He grumbled, wriggling down under the covers.

“Its your uncles room for now. We’ll put up a proper wall here soon.” She smiled sadly.

“How soon?” Willow called out from her side of the room, “Hero stinks.”

“You stink!” He called back and she responded with a loud raspberry. “You said that when I was seven! I’m twelve now!”

“Soon, soon. But now bedtime.” Their mother pushed hair behind her ear and skirted carefully around the blanket town, she had her hand on the light when Hero yawned and mumbled.

“Mum, I don’t mind sharing with Willow until uncle Taki comes back.”

She flicked off the light and looked over at Harvey’s door, his music had been turned down but she still felt its rhythm vibrate the floorboards under her slippers. He was a tough kid, always helping out with the animals they kept, but his uncles disappearance had gotten to him. Harvey junior was starting to suspect something wasn’t normal about his uncle, his mother had noticed his glances at the stacks of coffee cups that used to litter the kitchen. The empty plate he’d had during meal times and the strange way he would keep his bedroom door locked at all times. Most noticeable of all was the way his uncle used to nip in an out of the previously unused basement and all times of the night and day. Jolene had wanted her brother to tell him personally, but it didn’t seem like that was going to happen any time soon.

Taking a hesitant step forward she decided now was as good a time as any.

“Mum…” The door behind her creaked open and Willow jumped out to hug her legs, Mr.Bun, her soft toy rabbit, in her arms. “Mummy there’s a boy outside.”

Her daughters words, shaking and fearful, made her heart stop then pound louder than she thought possible. Darting into the kids room she saw Hero at the window, he stood perfectly still. It was his stillness that frightened her, his unending restless energy made him fiddle consistently. Loosening the buttons from all of his coats, picking threads from his pillow cases and chewing the ends of his colouring pencils. Seeing him frozen, as if carved from stone, was a terrifying sight. 

She got a hold of herself, pulled Hero away from the window and closed the curtains, then opened them just enough to peak outside. Sure enough, someone was there. A figure, collapsed in a heap a few steps from the porch laying still, his shadow stretched out and flickering as the old outside bulb shone upon it. “Harvey!” She called out towards the stairs, her husband must have heard the fear in her voice has he moved faster than he had done in years.

Pulling her from the window he took one glance outside, his brow furrowed and he adjusted his glasses. “Stay here. I’ll get my gun.” He left, his feet thumping and shoulders tense.

Jolene kept her children close as she peered out the window at the unmoving figure. She saw his shadow elongate as the front door flooded light upon it, someone hopped cautiously towards the stranger. She was expecting to see her husbands rifle, its barrel shining from how often he would clean it. The gun was rarely used but well cared for, on occasion it had been fired to put a suffering animal out of its mystery, but other than that it was kept locked up out of reach of curious small hands.

But the one leaving house didn’t have a gun, and although they had the same messy mop of light red hair, it was not her husband. “Harvey.” She gasped. “You two. Stay here, stay inside your fort. Hero, Willow take care of each other and do not come out until I get you. Okay?”

Hero nodded, his face flushed with fear as he took his sisters hand, they crawled under the safety of blanket castle. Jolene held her breath and closed the door behind her, as soon as it clipped shut she ran down the stairs, almost crashing into her husband at the front door.

“Harvey get away from him.” He had his rifle ready, the safety off and his finger away from the trigger. “Now.” He was sharp, the opposite from his usual relaxed self.

“Dad?” Harvey Junior was wide eyed at the sight of his father holding a gun, it wasn’t as if this sight was new to him, he’d just never been at the receiving end.

“Come here, Now.” His dad steadied himself, focusing intently on the strangers figure. Harvey Junior was holding a mug of water from the kitchen, he’d only wanted to help.

“Dad.” Placing the cup down, Harvey stood up slowly, “Don’t shoot him.” He raised his hands in the same way his father has taught him to do around scared animals.

Jolene reached out a hand, “Harvey, come here, please.” She whispered, her eyes darting between her son and the stranger, who was breathing unsteady on the ground. Clutching his stomach, the stench of a deep wound rising from his form.

Harvey took one step forward, the stranger moved. Jolene reached out and grabbed her sons hand, pulling him close as her husbands finger gripped the trigger. “Dad don’t!” Harvey called out,half falling into his mothers arms. The stranger curled up in the dirt, slowly letting slip a moan as they got up. Half covered in blood, barefoot and squinting up at them, he tried to step forward, fell and landed on his back over the patio step. The light from the door lit up his face.

“Rei.” Jolene would have gasped, screamed or cried out, but if was as if the air had been stolen from her lungs.

“I told you!” Harvey got up, not wanting to touch his dad until his finger left the trigger.

A Moment passed, so fragile it could have shattered like glass as the slightest event. Then another, until finally the rifles barrel was lowered and the safety was clicked on. “Jo, are you sure it’s him?”

She let out her breath and blinked, her eyes dry from staring. “Yes. Im sure.”

“Good. Now, I was never sure, but it seems more important than ever to ask, was Rei your brothers biological son?”

—

The night passed slowly, none of them slept. Even Hero and Willow who had been told everything was safe and to go to bed lay awake and whispering to each other. Harvey senior sat in his leather backed chair, his hands on his chin and rifle on his lap. His glasses reflecting the light from the crackling fire that slowly ate though wooden chunks in the grate. Opposite him, Rei lay on the sofa, his forehead sweaty. He’d not woken up yet. Jolene and her oldest son sat on chairs pulled in from the kitchen table, all thoughts of telling him the truth about her brother forgotten.

“I don’t get it, we have a first aid kit. Why are you both just sitting here?” Harvey grumbled, his parents had scolded him whenever he tried to approach his cousin. “That IS Rei, right? I mean, he’s older but like, so am I. Looks like Rei to me.”

“Its more complicated than that Harvey.” Jolene bit her lip and struggled with her words.

“Is it?” Harvey snorted, “All I see is an injured family member and my parents who won’t let me help him.”

“Harvey, do you remember what happened to Rei?” His mother spoke through her hands, sweat forming on her temples.

“Yeah. But obviously that was a lie or something, right?” He shrugged, seemingly unfazed by his supposed-to-be-dead cousin. “Uncle Taki said he’d been in a car accident, before that I remember playing with Rei all the time.” He glanced between his parents, “I know it’s him, he even knew my name.”

This made his mother sit up in her seat, “He spoke to you? What did he say?”

“He…” Harvey had never seen his mother this afraid, scared by cheesy horror movies maybe, but never afraid. “He said ‘Harvey I’m sorry’…”

“And?” Jolene stood up, his chair screeching backwards on the wooden floor. “What else?”

“He said… He said he was hungry.” Harvey didn’t know why this made his mothers face pale or his fathers fingers twitch, but he was smart enough to know there was something they weren’t telling him and that is was likely connected his the suspicions he had about his uncle. Jolene collapsed back into her chair, her face falling into her hands.

“He remembers us, that’s good.” Harveys dad got up, keeping his focus on Rei he knelt by the side of the sofa. His gun on one side, the first aid kit on the other. He reached out, rolling the blanket off from Rei’s slowly moving chest. He pulled his boys hand away so that he could see the deep gash in his stomach. It was as if something had been pulled out from inside him, folding back the skin like the flaps on a cardboard box. Carefully, Harvey senior pushed the skin back into place. His first aid kit was too basic to contain sutures, but he had enough medical tape to hold the skin in place so that he could bandage it up roughly. It was a miracle he hadn’t died of blood loss. “Alright, easiest thing to do here seems to be just to wait for him to wake up and ask.”

“What? You’re not gonna call the hospital?” Harvey shot up, his parents strange behaviour making him more angry than confused.

“Harvey, please listen to me…” Jolene reached out towards her son but was swatted away.

“No, Mum , its Rei! I don’t understand! Its Rei! You taught us how to ride a horses together, we had water fights and slushies. I liked the mango ones best and Rei always wanted coffee flavour even though you said Coffee was bad for kids and…”

His mother cut him off. “Harvey.” She snapped, standing up and gripping his shoulders so she could meet his eyes. “My brother was a ghoul, his son, Rei might be a ghoul too.”

The room seemed to grow cold for a moment, the fire spitting as it devoured the last few pieces of tinder and soldered into a red glow of crackling embers. Harvey’s hands shook, “What?” He glanced at his cousin with a new found fear in his eyes, “But Rei… is my family… he…. He never ate dinner with us.”

“I was adopted, you know that. My brother always said he’d adopt too, one day he came to visit and had Rei in his arms. He was tiny, a year younger than you but twice as small. I don’t know if… I mean, he looks like my brother.” She glanced over at where her Husband knelt, his hands bloody from cleaning up Rei’s wound. “We saw doves in town, if they got Takiyo the’d have come here to investigate. But they never did.”

Harvey sat down, he was sure his uncle had been abnormal in some way, but a ghoul? Ghouls were supposed to be monsters living in cities and ripping apart humans day and night. He glanced at Rei, who’s hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat. “I… I don’t care. Rei’s my friend. If you can grow up with a ghoul for a brother then so can I.”

His mother hugged him, pride swelling his her chest and forming tears in her eyes. “I know. Thank you. But my brother had a job in the local funeral home, he never hurt anyone whilst he lived here with us. If Rei is… a ghoul too, then we, we’d have to feed him somehow.”

“We’ll find a way.” Harvey’s dad stood up, wiping his hands on Rei’s blanket before sitting back in his chair with his gun on his lap once more. “I’ve got work tomorrow. You can watch him, here, I’ll show you how to use this.” He held out a hand for Jolene to take, she glanced at his gun.

“I know how, my mother showed me. I just don’t like it.”

Harvey wanted to offer, he’d used an air rifle but a real one seemed more interesting. As he opened his mouth to speak Rei stirred. Jolene pulled her son back as Harvey senior readied his gun. Rei’s eyelids flickered as he adjusted to the light. His lips cracked open and he let out a rasping, shaky breath. “Da..?” He asked, his thin arms shaking and his fingers gripping the blanket as he winced in pain. His voice was croaky as if if had never been used and his eyes slid over the three humans as if he was struggling to see them.

“Harvey, please go to your sibling’s.” Jolene whispered. At first Harvey stood his ground, wanting to see what was going to happen, but then he realised. If anything did happen that night, he had to be there to protect his younger brother and sister. He swallowed and left, darting up stairs and into their room. Instantly making up a story and pretending he was there to help make their blanket fort even more impressive.

Downstairs Rei breathed unsteadily, wincing as his lungs pushed against his wound. Jolene steadied herself, winding her hair into a bun and swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. “Give me the rifle.” She held out a hand and her husband handed it over, “Break down the basement door, Takiyo had a freezer fitted down there. If there is anything inside, we can use it to find out if he is a ghoul or not.”

Harvey senior wasn’t sure about leaving his wife alone with a potential ghoul, but when she placed her slippered feet into a shooting stance better than his own and held the rife with the steadiness and precision of a seasoned hunter, he decided that in this situation she knew what she was doing. The trust between them remained silent and unyielding. He left, rolling up his bloodied sleeves. The basement door was hidden under the main stairway, opening the cupboard there revealed a trap-door with a ladder that lead down into a cold stone tunnel. Using his phone as a torch he made his way along the passage and towards the door, before it had been repurposed into a farm, the land had been an unsuccessful vineyard. The cellar build for bottle storage. The old wooden door in front of him had metal hinges and an old black keyhole, build for those large heavy keys more suited to fantasy novels than real life.

The door was, of course, locked. Heaving his shoulder into the solid oak did absolutely nothing but give him a harsh red bruise, although it did shake the frame enough for an old key to tumble from the lintel, casting a cloud of dust from where it fell on the old floor. Harvey scooped it up and felt it click in the keyhole.

Inside, he tried not to be distracted by the heavy black chains on the wall, or the large locked chest that was pushed into a corner. The rusted old tools and piles of foreign newspapers. Every nerve in his body begged him to turn back, but he pushed forward. Towards the black humming fridge. The seal hissed as his pulled its freezer open, inside a single wax paper package had been neatly wrapped, its edges covered in frosty particles that melted as soon as he touched them. As he left he noticed a thick envelope on an old mattress and scooped it up.

Back in the living room, Jolene focused on her breathing. Her brother rarely spoke about ghouls, he didn’t even say who Rei’s mother was. He’d just brought him back from Japan after going there to try and find his biological parents. Rei winced, his eyes flickering open to reveal bloodshot whites and dark blue pupils that matched Takiyo’s. “Auntie?” He croaked, his voice as dry as sandpaper. She didn’t move the barrel of her gun, her brother had been kind, caring and gentle. He always acted as if the people around him were made of glass, as a ghoul, humans likely seemed that way.

“Rei?” She let the name slip out as if saying it would shatter the air around them. Her husband came back, the package in his hands melting on the floor and leaving a trail of pink droplets. “Rei, what happened to you? Takiyo said you’d passed away, do you know where he is?” Suddenly all the questions she’d held in came spilling out. Rei sat up, wincing, he placed his feet on the floor, the dirt staining his toes crumbling off. He shook his head, partly from dizziness partly as he didn’t know the answer to her questions. Harvey senior placed the package on the coffee table and Rei’s reaction gave them the information they were asking for. His eyes flooded with black and the blue shifted into a deep red, he covered them, holding his stomach as if he was about to throw up.

“He should eat, it’s not good to go hungry.” Harvey senior pushed the package a little closer. “He can stay here, if you want Jo. Cellars open and we can contact Takiyo’s friends.”

She nodded, her brother had a part-time job at the local funeral parlour for reasons more than just earning a wage. She was sure a few of the others there were ghouls too but had never pried into it. “Alright, Rei, it’s okay, just eat, get better and we can talk.”

Rei shuffled, reaching out tentatively and sliding the package closer. He tore open the top slowly and nibbled tiny bites whilst hunched over. His teeth snapped together as his hair obscured his face. Jolene relaxed, sitting down opposite him and leaning the rifle against her leg so that she could pick it up at a moments notice. They waited patently for him to finish. Rei made as little mess as possible, as if he was ashamed to eat.

Once he had finished he cleared his throat, wiped his mouth and folded the wax paper up. Placing it back on the table. “I came looking for Dad.” He croaked and Harvey senior fetched him a glass of water.

“Takiyo’s been missing for six months now, we saw Doves in town.” Jolene swallowed, Rei looked thin, trembling as if the glass in his hands weighed a hundred pounds. His fingers were so pale she could almost see his skeleton through the translucent skin. Although, eating had brought a little colour to his cheeks. “He told us you were dead.”

Rei shook his head, “Dad said he hurt a human once, by accident when he was young. He didn’t want me to hurt your family. So he said I couldn’t go out anymore.”

Jolene understood, but didn’t want to. “So, you’ve been close by, for the past five years, but he didn’t let you out?” Rei nodded, not wanting to explain anything in detail. “How’d you get hurt?” She asked. Rei just shook his head.

“Im sorry.” He mumbled.

“No, it’s good you’re safe. We have your dad’s spare room anyway. You should stay.” Jolene looked over at her husband who nodded in agreement, both of them considering the logistics of talking care of a young ghoul. Takiyo had sorted his own food, kept under the radar and passed as an ordinary human to anyone who happened upon their farm. But if anyone saw Rei the’d question why he wasn’t in hospital, or why he wasn’t going to school with Jolene’s children.

“Jo,” Harvey senior handed her the envelope. “This was in the basement, Rei can stay here. We managed with your brother, we can do the same for Rei.”He turned towards him, “Rei, if anything happened to my kids, I’ll call the doves and you’ll be dead before they arrive. You understand?” Rei’s eyes shook as he looked up, their usual blue had returned and he nodded slowly. “Good.”

“Look.” Jolene had opened the envelope and read it out loud to the others. “My dear sister, If you found this it’s likely because I haven’t been back to the farm in sometime. Im Sorry, please go to the old cemetery behind Ivyback lane. There you will find a pyramid shaped tomb, I’ve hidden Rei inside. Please take care of him until I get back, my colleagues at the funeral home know who we are and have agreed to help if it should come to this. Im sorry.” She checked the back but nothing else was written there.

“That cemetery is abandoned, I don’t think anyone alive today even remembers relatives who knew people buried there.” Harvey scratched his beard. “I’ll drive that way tomorrow, see if I can find anything. Rei, you must have got out by yourself. Im sorry we didn’t find this sooner.” Rei just shook his head once more.

“Right.”Jolene snapped, making them both jump. “You need a bath, a hair cut and then a good nights sleep, or what’s left of it anyway.” She stood up, determination burning fiercely in her eyes. “Willow and Hero might not remember you, so we’ll tell mostly the truth. You are their cousin and will be staying here for a while. As for Junior, well, now that he knows we have to make sure he keeps it a secret.” She sighed, not doubting her sons ability to keep quiet about the ghoul under their roof but worried that he’d be afraid of him. Although, Rei was so frail it was hard to imagine him harming anyone.

“I’ll run a bath, ’n make sure the kids stay put.” Harvey senior slapped his knees and got up. Winding an arm around Rei so that he could hoist him upright and towards the bathroom. Jolene got her scissors and prayed she was making the right choice.

—

When morning came, everyone in the house was yawning. Drained of energy, they sat around the table with boxes of cereal and cups of hot coffee. Harvey Junior waited irritably for his parents to start explaining.

“Kids. Your cousin will be staying with us for a while, do you remember Rei?” She bit her lip.

“Yeah! Rei’s good at tag!” Hero spoke with his mouth full, grinning and spilling orange juice into his glass.

“He’s quite ill, you might not be able to play with him.” Jolene wiped up the spilled juice and pinched Hero’s cheek playfully.

“Where’s Dad?” Harvey Junior crossed his arms, he’d spent the night in his siblings room, waiting for them to tire themselves out so that he could look up as much information about ghouls on his phone as he could.

“He’s just gone shopping for us. Hero, Willow, Why don’t you two go watch some cartoons?” Jolene smiled as her kids jumped from the table and scrambled into the living room. “Harvey, my brother never hurt us and neither will Rei. But I need your help with this.” Harvey stopped tipping back on his chair and leaned forward. “When you get to school on Monday I need you to get some student exchange forms.”

“For Rei?” He almost spat out his tea.

“Yes. If it looks like we are hiding him it will only seem suspicious, my brother told us he’d died but now that I think about it, he never actually gave us any evidence of an accident. He probably doesn’t even have a death certificate and the funeral was supposedly abroad. It is strange he asked us not to talk about it to anyone…”

“Mum. You’re rambling.”

“Oh, sorry dear.” She smiled as the phone began to chime. Harvey glanced towards the roof timbers, up to his uncles old room. Rei was sleeping there, the curtains closed and dust drifting in the only beam on light that seeped between them. Harvey noticed something in the way his mother moved, her voice softened and her face paled.

“I understand, today? I see, no it’s not a problem. I’ll be maybe an hour…” She hung up and turned to her son. “The CCG, the’d like me to come in and answer some questions… It would be suspicious if I declined. Harvey, Rei’s door is locked. Stay with your brother and sister, play outside and do not go upstairs until myself or your father get back.” Keeping her brother and adopted parents secrets for years had given her a knack for staying calm in tense situations.

“What about dad?” Harvey asked, the trickle of panic threatening to become a wave.

“I’ll call him, just stay out of the house.”

“What if he wakes up?”

“Willow and Hero don’t know, and I’d like for it to stay that way. Call me if anything happens, look, he was us all night and he’s injured. I don’t think he’ll wake up till late tonight.” She rushed around, shoving things into her bag and scooping her car keys from the hook. “Willow! Hero! Help Harvey clean out Silver.” They groaned in response but got up and starting pulling on welly boots and gloves. “Alright, I’ll be back soon.” She dashed out as if nothing was wrong.

Harvey forced a smile and hurried his siblings out the door and towards the large pen that held Silver, an old farm horse that was more a family pet than a working horse. She clopped over as soon as she saw them, always happy to receive a scratch behind the ears or have her mane platted. Harvey dragged his siblings into Silver’s shed and pushed shovels into their hands before they could make excuses to get out of helping. The air was thick and the ground covered in hay and sawdust, Hero sneezed and Willow spent more time gazing out the door at Silver than working. Harvey’s mind was elsewhere, he glanced up at the house.

“When will Rei come and help too! He lives here now right?” Hero grumbled, shoving his hands into Silver’s water tray and scooping out any unwanted muck. Water splattered to the ground and Hero shook his gloves, unfazed by the dirt.

“Rei’s coming to help!” Willow swung her legs from where she sat on the gate and grinned, pointing out into the pen. Harvey felt air catch in his lungs, on the other side of the pen was Rei. He gently patted Silvers nose, she sniffed him, her nostrils widening and blowing out hot air that jostled his fringe and made him blink. Carefully climbing the fence, Rei held on to Silver’s grey mane. She wasn’t afraid, in fact, she even remembered his strange scent. Rei swung his leg over and held on tightly, enjoying the sun on his face.

—

Harvey Senior parked his car as close as he could to the graveyard. Which wasn’t very close, the twisted piles of ivy had grown around the rusted gate, making opening it impossible. Luckly, he had guessed this might be the case and brought along a good pair of shears. Hacking through the shrubbery he eventually fell into the long grass that surrounded worn-down grave stones and moss covered mounds. The pyramid style tomb was hidden at the back, covered in plants and half hidden under the roots of a fallen tree. Harvey waded through the waist high grass towards it, looking for a way in.

Finding a panel on his side he swatted at a few mosquitos before hefting it open. The hinges creaked and clicked, a mechanism inside jolting awake. Down inside the panel, turning gears began to click and speed up. Churning around and chomping as they did so, a foul stench stung Harvey’s nose and made his eyes water. He slammed the panel shut, the meat grinder inside slowed to a halt. Harvey slid down the pyramids side and tried to refocus himself, Takiyo had always come across to him as quiet and kind, someone who was a little over protective but respected his authority as a father. However, this device shone a new light on to his brother in law that he’d rather not have seen. Harvey steadied himself, the smell threatening to make him throw up. Making his way around the side of the pyramid he found a broken door, its metal bent outwards as if something inside had cracked it open and scattered the metal pieces. Like a chick bursting out of its shell.

He climbed inside, the grinder above fed into a long tube with a broken metal opening at its base. He recognised it as the same type he’d used back when the’d kept cattle, it would be implanted in the cows stomach so that the microbes in their stomachs could be monitored. He’d never liked the practice but his old herd had been adopted from a previous owner who’d had them all fitted. Harvey could see why some would perform this surgery, but promised himself he’d never mutilate any of his animals for personal gain. Their farm did well enough without those kinds of methods. The tube lead down to a broken bed frame and a bloody mattress, both sights that made Harvey wince and goose pimples flow over his arms. It didn’t matter how old or tough he was, this prison was a place that should never have existed.

There was a shelf of study materials, books and pencils, an old CRT TV connected to several wires leading up the ceiling. Harvey swallowed, Rei had been kept here, the tube was the reason he’d had that stomach injury and his small tentative bites into his food likely due to his lack of practice even using his mouth for anything solid. What Harvey didn’t understand was why Takiyo would do this, could do this, to his own son no less. Then he spotted the newspapers, the same kind that littered his basement. The headlines of a student who was injured in an accident with steel beams, how the lady he was with passed away and her organs were used to give him a second chance. Missing posters in Japanese where also tucked into the papers, a collage student with a shy smile and grey eyes. Takiyo had made notes on the back, ‘Human turned half-ghoul. If we can turn humans into ghouls, can we turn ghouls into humans? Can Rei be normal? Organ transplant failed, ghoul body dissolved foreign material and re-grows any removed organs. Kagune removal unsuccessful, kagune grows back over time. Experiment failed, Experiment failed, Experiment failed.’

Harvey lifted the papers into a metal waste bin and shakily got out his lighter. If anyone found this the’d find out the truth. He let the papers catch alight, black smoke staining the metal roof and stinging in his eyes. He waited for the fire to die before tearing down as much as he could, packing a few things into his car and leaving. Hoping that he’d never have to come back.

Checking his phone he found a number of missed calls and a voice message from Jolene,“The CCG called, asking about Takiyo. Im going there now. Rei’s still asleep, the kids are staying outside. Please be quick.” She’d kept it short and to the point, he rubbed the red from his eyes and started his car.

—

“Rei!” Willow waved from her perch and Harvey Junior didn’t know what to do. Silver was trotting around the field, Rei balancing on her back. The old horse seemed pleased to see him again and her fearlessness was the only thing that stopped Harvey from grabbing his siblings and making a run for it. Rei waved back shyly, keeping his distance.

“He’s not sick! He’s just getting out of chores!” Hero laughed and ran over to his sister to wave.

“He is sick. Don’t be rude.” Harvey joined them but didn’t wave. He watched as Silver made several loops around her pen, being guided away from the shed each time she got too close. It was as if Rei didn’t want her to ride close to them.

Harvey watched Rei pat Silvers neck, squint into the sun and then suddenly fold in on himself. Curling up in pain and clutching at his stomach. He slipped from Silver’s side and thudded heavily on to the ground, Silver whinnied in fight, dragging her hoof across the grass and tussling his forehead with her soft nose. “We gotta help him! He fell!” Willow pointed.

“Get back to the house.” Harvey snapped, “lock the door and call mum and dad.” He gripped his shovel and made his way towards Rei, who had spit leaking from the corner of his mouth and was letting slip a pained groan. His eyes black and red as his ghoul body healed over the injuries he’d gotten from falling. Any human might have broken a few ribs, Rei’s had already healed yet he still clutched his stomach and curled up tightly.

Harvey made sure his siblings were inside before getting close, his shovel gripped tightly in his hand. “Rei? You remember me right? We used to play all the time, you helped me when all of Star’s puppies escaped outside…”

Rei’s forehead was sweating and he rolled over onto his back, lifting his shirt to reveal a bloom of red skin that had formed a moon shape on his stomach. “Theres something, stuck… I can’t …” Rei tried to speak but found himself locked into his pain.

“Okay. I can see it.” Harvey knelt down beside him, Rei was a ghoul, but that didn’t change the fact the’d grown up together. He reached out and touched the thin pale skin on Rei’s chest. Something was there, stuck inside Rei, his skin stretched over it like wet fabric pulled tight. He could make out something inside, a curved crude piece of metal had been jostled by his horse riding and was threatening to stab him from the inside out.

“Cut it out.” Rei moaned, his teeth closed together and fingers scratching in the grass.

“I don’t have anything that can cut…” Harvey held him down, trying to stop the metal under his skin from moving any further. He swallowed and heard a scraping like steel on steel, something eased out of the grass under Rei, slithering like a snake. Silver jumped and trotted back a few paces, watching them anxiously from a distance.

“Keep gloves on.” Rei grabbed Harvey’s hand and pushed his Kagune into it, the pointed end sharper than any knife. It looked like a large fish-hook on the end of a thin scorpion tail, iridescent and black. Reflecting Harvey’s scared expression back at him. He gripped it, feeling the sharp edges threaten to slice though his gloves and into his fingers. The point gleamed and Harvey glanced up at Rei before quelling his shaking arms and slicing the hook though Rei’s stomach. Rei screamed, his shout ending sharply as he bit his lip hard enough to cause blood to pour and and bubble over his teeth.

Harvey jammed his fingers into the gash, gripped the metal and pulled. Yanking out the foreign object in one swift and very ungraceful movement. “Wait. There’s something else.” He dropped thebloodied metal onto the grass and gritted his teeth, pinching the black object and pulling out a small contorted ball of wire. “Okay. What now? Rei, What do I do now!”

Rei was breathing hard, the split in his side closing up and his eyes failing to return to normal. He felt the dirt under his nails and the breeze in his hair. Silver trotted slowly closer, worry in her kind eyes. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”

“He’s a monster!” Hero made them both jump, Harvey spun around to see him and Willow on the other side of the wooden fence. Their fathers rifle leaning on the slats, its barrel pointed towards them. “I saw his eyes! My teacher said to run away if we saw anyone with those eyes!” Willow cowered behind him, shaking and crying.

“Hero, we aren’t allowed to touch that Dad will yell at us.”

“Hero. Put it down. I can explain.” Harvey lifted his hands as if surrendering, which didn’t help as both his palms were covered in Rei’s blood.

Silver chose this moment to jump, braying loudly and stomping her hooves on the ground. Harvey jolted, Hero jumped and the gun fired, it’s bang streaking in their ears. Willow let out a small scream and fell backwards into the dirt. Harvey felt the air return to his lungs after not even realised it had been knocked out, he opened his eyes to see the sky above him, his face stinging. Rei had pushed him down, his ghoul tail had whipped through the air, scratching Harvey’s cheek as he was pulled out of harms way. Hero whimpered and fell backwards with his sister, the gun slipped from the fence and thumped into the grass. “Im sorry, Im sorry Harvey, Im sorry.” Fat tears dribbled from Hero’s face and his arms shook.

“I’m okay” Harvey called out to reassure them. He kept his eyes fixed on Rei, who had thick dark blood dripping from his forehead. He blinked a few times, blood slipping into his eyes. “Rei? Did you… did you get hit?” Rei opened his mouth, trying to speak he leaned forwards, his tongue lolling out from his mouth. He licked Harveys chin, making him shiver and wince as his fresh cut was invaded by foreign spit.

Rei slumped back, resting on his knees. Sliver had scarpered to the other side of her pen. “Huh…” Rei’s words splattered out as he tried to speak, the fresh human blood in his mouth helping the gash in his forehead clear up and close until all that was left was quickly drying blood. “I’m alright.” He sounded surprised.

“You two are in so much trouble, go back to your room and wait there.” Harvey snapped, sounded more afraid than he intended. The kids scrambled up and ran back to the house crying as they imagined how much trouble they were in.

“Did you.. get hit?” Harvey asked as soon as his siblings were out of ear shot.

“I think it went though my head.” Rei rubbed his forehead, surprised that even a ghoul could heal from that.

“Good thing it’s empty then, why didn’t you stay in your room today?!” Harvey snapped, getting up and putting Rei to his feet.

“Huh, oh, sorry.” Rei rubbed the back his head, flakes of dried blood fell from his hair. “Maybe, maybe don’t tell your mother I was shot in the face.”

“Yeah no shit.” Harvey grumbled. “What about that?” He nudged the half circle of bloody metal that sat in the grass below them.

“Oh, um…” Rei rubbed his shirt, getting blood all over his hands. “Your face…”

“Huh? Oh, ow.” Harvey tapped his chin where a fresh gash was dripping. Unlike Rei, his wounds didn’t heal up in seconds. “Okay, let’s go clean up. We can tone it down when they get back… oh crap. That’s Dad’s car. So…um, Run?” He grinned.

“Yeah. What, wait?” Rei blinked, but Harvey was already running, his feet tapping though the grass. “Oh.” He jumped, glancing back between the car and the house. Rei wasn’t sure what was worse, being seen chasing Harvey whilst they were both covered in blood, or waiting in the field for Harveys dad to find him. 

“Junior!” Harvey’s dad slammed the car door and marched over to the fence.“Rei? What happened?” He saw the fallen gun, the blood and Rei’s confused face. Picking up the gun he cocked it and held it steady, not aiming at Rei but ready to at a moments notice.

“No one got hurt.” Rei lifted his hands, his bloody palms not a very reassuring sign.

“Dad! Don’t!” Harvey had assumed Rei was behind him and only noticed his Dad picking up the gun when he’d glanced back. He skidded on the dirt path, kicking up a cloud of sand.

“Your face!” Harvey’s dad was torn, his son was running towards him, a gash on his chin trailing blood. On the other hand, he’d just come from the prison Rei had been hidden in, he now knew the conditions the kid had grown up with and the pity that stung his heart was the only thing preventing him from pointing his rifle and cutting him down.

“It wasn’t Rei’s fault!” Harvey panted, “Please, Dad don’t. I can explain. Rei’s the one who got hurt, he saved me.”

“Why was my gun out here?” Harvey senior got straight to the point, fearful over the lives of his children and this ghost of a stranger that stood pale in front of him. Harvey glanced back towards the house, unsure if he should tell the truth or not. “Harvey!” His dad snapped.

“It was Hero, Rei fell off of Silver because there was something under his skin hurting him. Hero got scared, he saw his eyes change. Please dad. It was just a stupid mistake.”

“Hero and Willow are okay?”

“Yeah, I sent them to their room.”

Harvey senior let out his breath and uncocked the rifle. “Thank god. What was it?”

“What was what?” Harvey glanced between his Dad and Rei, who looked strangely calm for someone who’d just been shot in the head.

“The thing under his skin.” He asked, directing his question at his son rather than asking Rei directly.

“Oh, it’s…” Harvey looked over at the grass, “There, it’s like a metal thing.”

Rei picked it up and offered it over to Harvey senior, who grunted and took it from him, he examined it’s edge and quickly recognised it as part of the metal tube he’d found inside the pyramid. The metal would have been a circle before it was broken, a circle that kept Rei’s stomach from closing so that ground up food could be inserted directly inside him.

“There was something else too, like a bunch of metal wire, but I don’t see it.” Harvey glanced about but the mystery object had vanished.

His dad made another disgruntled sound, “Alright, I’m not letting either of you inside like that.” He slung the rifle over his shoulder, locked his car and practically dragged his son over to the outside hose. Rei shuffled along behind them.

After being thoroughly hosed down with the freezing outside tap Harvey told Rei to throw his bloody shirt in the bin. For the first time he really saw how skinny the kid was, his ribs showed through his skin and each bone in stuck out awkwardly. He had a red mark on his chest where Harvey had cut into him and a pink flower on his lower back that was quickly fading. The boys shivered on the front step as Harvey senior went inside, he’d wanted his son to come with him, but junior had refused.

Hero was sobbing under his duvet, his shoulder ached from the rifles kickback and his ears stung. His sister Willow sat on her bed and hugged her toy rabbit. When he came in the room she jumped up to hug his legs. “Hey kiddo, you okay?” He asked, scooping her up into his arms. “Hero?”

“Im sorry I took your gun! But Dad Rei’s a monster, he’s got the scary eyes my school warned us about.” Hero sobbed, hugging his dad and burying his snotty nose in his jumper.

“Its okay, But Hero, Willow.” He bent down and held their tiny hands in his own. “Rei is not a monster. You can’t tell anyone about today, it’s really, really important that you don’t tell anyone about today.”

Outside, Rei sneezed and shivered. Harvey junior turned around and decided his dad was taking too long. He stepped inside the house leaving wet foot steps behind, coming back he threw a hoodie over Rei, who pulled it on and let out a small smile in thanks. Harvey sat back down, “Sooooo, you’re a ghoul huh.”

“Uh-huh. So I’ve been told.” Rei rubbed his eyes, despite his recent hair cut, his fringe still came down a little too long.

“You’re dad was nice, I hope he’s okay.” Rei didn’t respond, he shoved his hands into his pockets. So Harvey just continued, “Yeah, he got us cool stuff at Christmas and took us out on trips sometimes. He said you’d passed away though, so, like, are you really Rei? I mean you sure as hell look like him.”

“When you were six, we went strawberry picking and you ate so many you threw up behind a bush and made me swear you I wouldn’t tell your parents.” Rei coughed, it was probably the longest sentence he’d said in years.

“Oh. Ha, I remember that. Yeah, you didn’t eat any, your dad said you were allergic that’s why, but I guess that wasn’t true.” Rei nodded, wishing his dad had taken him on trips too. They came back inside once Harveys dad said so, Rei was locked in his room and the others sat down for a rather tense game of Uno.

Their mother came back that afternoon, bringing with her takeaway pizza. “What happened?” She asked the instant she saw her husbands expression. “Junior! You’re face!”

“It was an accident Mum, Rei saved me but I got scratched by his, um, tail thing.” His voice came out squashed as his mother squeezed his cheeks, examining the layers of plasters stuck to her sons face.

“Its called a Kagune, where about in his back did it come out from?” Her parents had explained the details of ghouls to her and her brother when they were both quite young. She remembered her brothers Kagune from the rare few times he’d let it out, a black bikaku that looked like a thick plated tail with a hooked end. Harvey described Rei’s, which sounded similar but thinner, which made sense as it didn’t seem like he’d had a steady diet.

“Jo, I need to talk to you.” Harvey senior interrupted them gently, hoping to tell his wife what he’d discovered sooner rather than later. She saw the expression on his face and nodded, asking junior to take care of his siblings once more.

The parents whispered to each other at the bottom of the stairs, “What did you find?”

“Jo, it was awful, your brother always seemed so gentle I don’t understand it. What did the CCG ask you?”

“They think my brother was killed by ghouls, but I don’t think they knew he was one. Which means they didn’t find a body. I suppose that’s good news, they did an RC scan, I’ve had those before its nothing to worry about. Im glad they did it, it proves you and the kids are human too. Rei’s safe for now, they didn’t mention him at all. If they think Takiyo was human the’ve no reason to suspect Rei. Now, what did you find?” She tried to organise her thoughts, but too much had happened that day for her to feel at ease.

“Takiyo read this article from Japan, I presume from when he visited with Rei. It was about some kid in an accident who, according to your brother, had been turned into an artificial ghoul. He thought that if it worked one way, it could work the other way around. But he never succeeded. I think he kept Rei almost constantly starved, I burned his notes incase anyone found the place, but it was like he’d been trying to turn Rei into a human.” Harvey senior glanced up the stairs. “Jo it was like a prison, worse than some of the battery farms I’ve helped shut down.”

She stared up at him, “He’s just a kid but, is it safe to have him here? He’s got no where else to go but Harvey’s face… it’s going to leave a scar.”

“That wasn’t Rei’s fault. As far as I can tell Hero got scared, fired my gun by accident. Rei pushed him out the way and got hit. So its partly my fault for not locking up the way I usually do.”

“Rei was shot?” Jolene blinked, she’d never considered if ghouls were bullet proof. Although, the fact Doves didn’t walk around with assault rifles was possibly a clue.

“Yeah, they didn’t tell me but I could see the marks and the blood on his face. He looked like that lamb we had to put down last year.” He shivered, not wanting to remember that spring.

“Hey, it’s alright I should have brought the kids with me today. I just panicked, look, at some point by brother will come back and help us with Rei. He can explain why he kept him locked up and…. I don’t know. We just have to make sure everyone is safe until then.” She brushed her hair to one side and ran her fingers thought it.

“You really think school is a good idea?”

“Yeah, bring some normality to him. Besides, my brother made it though just fine. I teach him my parents rules. I got him some clothes and I stopped by the funeral home.” She paused, not sure of how to break the news. “Well, they say Rei can have a job there, but they were just as surprised as us to hear he was alive. Some to maybe all of the staff are ghouls, they replace corpses with fakes before they are buried or cremated. They don’t hurt anyone but, I’m worried it will be a little suspicious, a teenage boy working in a funeral home…”

“Possibly, he might get teased for it at school. But it’s worth the risk if he gets fed as that’s our main problem. We can’t source his food.” Harvey senior hugged his wife and they returned to the family game night. Both convinced that once Takiyo came back, things would return to the normal they had grown so accustomed to.

Upstairs in his room Rei pulled the crumpled metal from his pocket. Unfolding it until it began to look a little more like its original form, a pair of wire-framed spectacles. The lenses had been grounded up by the churning wheels above his prison pyramid, but the wire was harder to digest. Rei was sure his dad was never coming back, as soon as the meat had hit his stomach he knew it wasn’t human. He’d convulsed, his Kagune had gone wild and he’d sliced the tube at his side. Giving him the opportunity to escape the prison he’d grown so used to. He didn’t want to tell the others, as soon as they found out no one was coming to get him he’d be on his own again. Hiding the glasses under his bed he rubbed his eyes, everything looked out of focus, it had done since he’d left his prison home. Rei glanced over at the door, knowing he shouldn’t have unlocked it that morning. But it had been so easy, and they must know a wooden door wasn’t going to stop a ghoul, so why even have a lock. He shook his head, deciding that is must be a human thing and therefore he wouldn't understand.

Later that evening the elder Harvey unlocked his door and pushed a box inside, “I found this stuff at, um, where you used to live.” The door clipped shut and Rei padded over towards it, he rummaged around until he found what he was looking for. A slim blue case, inside was a pair of glasses in a club master style with blue topped frames. His own pair, he wiped the lenses on his pillowcase and slipped them on, feeling the world be pulled into focus. Maybe if he stayed with them long enough, the’d accept him, maybe the’d even forget he wasn’t human. Rei traced his forehead where the bullet had shot through him, amazed that even a ghoul could survive it. Although, without Harvey juniors blood, he might not have. Rei rolled over, slipping off his glasses and placing them on the night stand. He thought about how selfish he was. Any human would have died and living was just another reminder that he wasn’t one of them.


	2. Coffee and Snacks

“Rei, I made you coffee. My brother brought us this great machine but its wasted here without him… oh.” Jolene paused when she saw him coming in thought the door. “Glasses suit you Rei.” He just pushed them up his nose in response, unsure of how to reply. The kitchen was soon a mass of morning energy, everyone gobbling down the Sunday morning eggs and toast. Rei sat in the corner, feeling his cup grow cold in his hands. “You can drink that, my brother always did.” Jolene eventually prompted him, realising too late that Rei might not know that, unlike all other foods, coffee would taste normal. 

Rei sniffed the bitter liquid, taking a sip and blinking in surprise. He downed the coffee even though it was only lukewarm and let out a smile. “Ah, Thanks.” He said, his words drowned out but the noise of the busy family rushing to start another new day. He’d known coffee would taste normal, but the cups his dad had brought him had always felt laced with unpleasantness. Drinking something naturally good refreshed him. 

“Alright, we’re a little behind today. Hero, Willow you’re on egg duty. Junior, let the dogs out and feed the pigs. I’ll see to Silver and the sheep.” Harvey senior scrolled through the news on his phone, making sure there were no ghoul or mystery pyramid stories to be found. “And Rei…”

“You can come with me.” Harvey chimed in, “you always did like dogs.” 

Rei didn’t complain and Harveys dad just glanced up at his wife and shrugged. Yesterday had been written off as a bad accident that was as much their kids fault as their own for leaving them alone without explaining things properly. “Thats fine, but I’d like to chat with him first.” Jolene nodded, letting them finish up breakfast and get changed before cornering Rei. She sat him down at the table and pushed another cup of coffee his way. 

“Rei. Yesterday my husband found the place you were being kept, your dad, my brother, left us a letter and I want to say Im so, so sorry for not finding it sooner. He was the only one that used the basement and honestly, I was too scared of what I might see to brave going down there.” She reached out for his hand and Rei didn’t know how to respond to her warm palm brushing his own. “I wanted to ask, are you okay?” 

Rei nodded, thought about it and opened his mouth, “I was told I could be human… but it didn’t work, it never worked.” 

“I don’t think it’s possible, not physically, but stay with us and maybe we can give you the full human experience.” She smiled, “We can start small, work your way up to school and then see what’s next… Theres one other thing, do you know where your dad is?” 

Rei swallowed, his guts churned as he considered the strange last meal he’d had in his prison home. “No.. I don’t.” He replied quietly. 

“I see, that’s alright. It’s not your fault.” She let go of his hand, “I hope the clothes I got you fit, I’m sure they will be a little baggy but you don’t seem to be in the best of health right now so perhaps you’ll grow into them.” Rei knew how he wanted to reply, but she’d already changed topics by the time he’d forged the sentence in his head and didn’t have time to get it out of his mouth. “Rei, take care of your self, your fathers friends say they can see you on Wednesday… will you be okay until then?” 

He nodded, the package he’d been given plus the lick of Harveys blood would be enough to stop his stomach from rumbling for a few days. Although, to get back to a healthy weight he’d need a bit more and the idea of eating put a sour taste in the back of his mouth. He only had done when they offered him food because of the gun in his face and the fear he might attack them if he didn’t. Even after breaking out of his prison, he’d spend a long time waiting in the pyramid to be rescued. When that didn’t happen his hunger pangs and shaking hands had forced him to act. 

Jolene seemed anxious to ask another question, she drummed her fingers on the table as she figured out how to word it. Rei pretended not to notice as he waited patiently for her to speak. “My brother...” she started, “The place he kept you, I’m sorry I had no idea, he told us you’d passed away in an accident whilst in Japan. I... I...” she went quiet, the images conjured by her husbands description racing through her mind. 

“My dad told me I could become human, so I did what I was told.” Rei wasn’t lying, but he wasn’t going into any kind of detail, and he didn’t plan too.

After his coffee cup was empty, Rei was pointed in the direction of the dog pen, which turned out to be a long shed in the centre of a fenced field. Inside was filled with beds of all shapes and sizes, that uncanny dog smell and the echoing of playful barking assaulting his ears. 

“Out with ya, go play in the grass I’m trying to change your water bowls. No. No I don’t have food.” Harvey was trying to persuade a small apricot dog to go out with the others. Rei found his hands being licked and shoes sniffed as he entered the shed. The building was lit and heated and filled with enough chew toys and tennis balls to be any dogs dream. A few separate large cages ran along one wall for dogs who’s owners were on holiday, but many others just slept around the room. 

“Oh Hi Rei! This is Bug. She likes to stand right behind me, it’s like she wants me to trip over her.” Harvey scooped up the tiny dog, she started licking his face leaving lines of drool. “Bug, not the plasters ya tiny devil.” Bug wagged her tail happily. “We run a dog rescue centre here, and most of the other animals are rescued too. It sounds great until you’ve got to let your favourite dog be adopted.” He placed her gently down and the small dog immediately jumped up and stretched, paws on his knee and yawning loudly. Rows of small pointed teeth gleaming in her maw. “Alright, I’ve got to clear the field, if you could give all the beds a good shake outside that’d be great. Oh and watch out for Bennett, he will try to hug you but usually ends up head butting by accident.” Harvey ran his tongue over his chipped tooth. 

“I’m sorry about...” Rei tapped his own cheek where Harvey had a layer of overlapping plasters stuck to his jaw. 

“Na, don’t worry I’d rather this than get shot... did it really go through your head? I thought it has grazed you at first but the more I thought about it.” He seemed half amazed and half frightened. “I didn’t think ghouls were that tough.” 

Rei winched at the word and nodded, rubbing his forehead. “Neither did I.” He got to work picking up the heavy layers of blankets and pillows, feeling the soft fabric on his hands and the nostalgia warming his heart. Summers ago he’d done this with Harvey, the warm wind on his arms, laughing and rolling about in the grass. Which was fun but risky with several dogs playing and sniffing about close by. This time Rei found his arms grow tired quickly, his muscles strained and shook and his thin wrists showed the turning bones under his skin. Several of the dogs were peaked with curiosity at the newcomer and almost tripped him over as they sniffed his legs and poked their wet noses into his knees. Bug followed him back and forth in and out of the shed, skittering away when he reached down to pet her. She seemed confused by his scent. 

After an hour, Rei felt damp with sweat and his glasses kept slipping to the end of his nose. Shuffling past the fluffy, furry and panting mounds of playful pups, Rei washed his face under the outside tap, enjoying the cool water clean up that uncomfortable clammy feeling that had stuck to his face. He sat down and watched the parade of brown, yellow, black and white dogs chasing each other around in the field. Hoping that he could stay here as long as possible. 

“Hey!” Harvey jogged out from around the shed, followed by his own pageant of hounds. “This is Crowley, Stevie, Jewel and Capitan, I don’t name them- Hero gets to sometimes but most of them come with names already.” He slumped down next to Rei and picked at the plasters on his face. “Fields clean, for the next five minutes anyway- Dad gives me the stinky job, but I don’t mind.” He scratched Capitan, a German shepherd, between the ears and smiled. “Oh, there’s Bennett...” he pointed to the giant creature that looked more like a giant black mop end than a dog. “Wow he’s running up here pretty fast... okay, we should move. Move! Move!!” Harvey jumped up and dashed to one side, Rei following his example, the hound ran straight into the sheds side with an almighty thump. He whined, shook his furry head and let his tongue loll out sideways. Jumping, he reached out with huge paws, landing them on Rei’s shoulders. Rei blinked in surprise, stepped back and slipped. The dog landing on him in a blanket of heavy fur. 

“Crap. Benny NO! Off! Back!” Harvey pulled Bennett back and Rei couldn’t help but burst into laughter. His sides aching and his eyes watering. Harvey laughed too, falling back and laying in the grass, letting Bennett smack down between them and wriggle his belly in the air. “Oh man, you’re not hurt are you?” 

“No, no I’m fine, I just remember him as a puppy.” Rei rubbed Bennett’s belly and smiled. “He was huge back then too, I guess that’s why he’s not been adopted yet.” 

“Yeah, that and the head-butting.” Harvey laughed as Bug jumped on his chest, jealous that she wasn’t getting as much attention as her giant friend. They gazed up at the clouds, the dogs keeping them warm. Harvey broke the silence, “Alright, time for lemonade and then we can go see the pigs. You want a snack or something? I think we have a stash of blueberry muffins in the kitchen.” 

Rei sat up, Bennett rolled over and thumped away on heavy paws, Bug skipping after him. “I’m, I don’t think I can...” he mumbled.

“Oh crap, sorry.” Harvey flushed, momentarily forgetting about Rei’s contrition. 

—

Rei was not a fan of the pigs, sure they were cute with their curly tails and snorting snouts, but they smelt bad and the idea of all there insides being churned up into sausages and chops brought back discomforting memories of meat grinders and plastic tubes. 

Harvey wasn’t bothered, he scratched the pigs rough hair until they collapsed with happy honking noises into the muck of their pen. “So, that’s Chops and this is Susan. Hero named them. They eat almost anything.” 

“Uh-huh.” Rei responded, saying at the pens edge in borrowed welly boots. Harvey spoke to the pigs as he fed them and it made Rei feel queezy. He tried not to think about humans keeping and eating pigs, as ghouls created relationships with humans only to slaughter them for food. 

“Yeah, don’t worry, that pig smell is kinda nasty but you’ll get used to it.” Harvey shrugged, still a little embarrassed by his earlier mistake. He’d first met Rei when they were around five years old and finding out he was a ghoul was so surprising his brain didn’t seem to want to believe it. Only the fresh memory of those red eyes, a scale bound tail and the rough tongue on his cheek prevented him from falling into denial. 

They headed back to the house, dirty and tired. Jolene had made iced coffee and squeezed orange juice into long glasses. “Rei, if you don’t mind, I’d like to check your wound. I should have done it sooner, being a vet and all, but we didn’t know if it was safe... sorry.” Rei, slightly miss-understanding her intentions simply lifted his shirt in the kitchen. The wound in his side had been oozing blood less than forty-eight hours ago had vanished, not even leaving the trace of a scar. “Oh.” Jolene let out a small shy smile, “well that’s okay then.” 

“You sure, he kinda looks like he’s gonna crumble apart any second.” Harvey picked up a glass and downed it, handing Rei his coffee. 

“Don’t be rude. You’re a little skinny Rei, that’s all.” She tried to brush it to one side, knowing full well what Rei would have to eat to return to a healthy shape. 

“A little skinny? He’s skeletal- send him to my school like that and they’ll definitely call some safeguarding company or whatever.” Harvey laughed slightly, half joking, half worried about his quiet cousin. 

“Don’t be rude.” She repeated shooting him a sharp glance, “but you have a point. Oh well, it will be a while before the school gets back to us so you can see your dads friends before then and maybe they can help.” The kitchen fell into a slightly awkward silence. 

“School?” Rei asked, he’d heard talk of it before, his ghoul sense of hearing being quite a bit better than the humans had presumed. 

“Yes, we want everything to seem normal, as normal as it can. So, you should go to school.” Jolene kept her hands busy sorting through the piles of papers on the kitchen table. 

“My dad taught me from textbooks...” Rei started, as if he was about to disagree but then changed his tune, “so, I hope I’m not too far behind everyone else.” 

That evening they sat around the table, Rei wasn’t given a plate, just a large mug of coffee. The cup was so big it was almost like a bowl and he wondered if they were going to give him a spoon to go with it. Cutlery clicked and laughs were shared as the family chatted and enjoyed a hot roast. Rei tried to ignore the stench of sweating rotten potatoes, sulphur, sludge dripping chicken and an array of vegetables, each stinking of fetid fats and oily muck. “I’m glad you are here with us Rei, even if you can’t enjoy this meal with us.” Jolene smiled, slicing up her Yorkshire puddings with a satisfying crunch. 

“Thank you, I’m sorry, it all smells lovely.” Rei lied, his dad had told him to say that when humans were eating, ‘that looks good, what’s it made of? I should try that, delicious, scrumptious, sweet.’ Empty phrases designed to help him fit in. His dad had said he’d need to know these things for when he was human and Rei used to believe him. 

“Does it?” Jolene sounded surprised, knowing what she did about ghouls from growing up with them. 

“...no.” Rei responded sheepishly, worried he was about to be scolded. But Jolene just laughed, 

“It’s alright Rei, you don’t have to lie to us.” She smiled, the rest of her family staying quiet. “I appreciate how you sit with us. My brother wasn’t too keen, but he sat at the table anyway.”

“Does Rei have the same allergies has uncle Taki?” Hero asked with his mouth full of carrots. Apparently he’d already forgotten the meaning of the previous day’s events, he was only ten after all. The table went quiet at his question, even the adults unsure of how to respond. Rei sipped his coffee, holding the cup in both hands. 

“Hero, Rei is a ghoul, but he’s not like the ones you’ve been warned about in school. He won’t hurt us, only, we are the only people who know about how special he is so you can’t tell anyone else because they would be jealous and might hurt him or take him away.” Harvey senior explained the situation in a way that a ten year old could understand. “You too Willow.” Willow shuffled in her seat, peas spilling from her spoon as she clumsily clicked it against her teeth.

“Okay!” Hero grinned, “I wasn’t scared or anything! My teacher said if you see a ghoul you should run away so I did. But Rei didn’t bite anyone so my teach probably doesn’t know about special ghouls!” 

“You can’t tell him, or anyone else.” His dad reiterated sternly.

“I wont!” Hero smiled and Willow nodded softly.

Rei rubbed his eyes, the cold, clammy metal prison still a familiar memory, but it was quickly being overpowered by the warm caring hearts of the humans around him. “Well now, we know Rei’s secret so how about we share some of ours too. Hero for example, sleeps with a teddy bear.”

“Mommm!” He slapped his fork into his plate.

“And there is nothing wrong with that.” She laughed, “My husband says he eats my steamed broccoli but I know he’s been feeding it to the pigs for the past three years.” Harvey senior froze in surprise, a slice of chicken hanging an inch from his open mouth. His children laughing at him. 

“How did you know?” He asked.

“I’m your wife sweetheart, I know everything.” she smiled, clearly enjoying herself. “My eldest son has a crush on a school friend in the year below him- that will be your year Rei.” 

“MUM! How’d you know that!” Harvey Junior flushed pink.

“Im your mother sweetheart, I know everything. As for Willow, well, willow doesn’t have any secrets because she’s my little angel.” Jolene ruffled her daughters hair and her brothers pulled identical faces that said ‘so much for knowing everything.’ 

“What’s your secret then dear.” Harvey senior smiled up at her. 

“Me? Oh I don’t have any secrets.” Jolene had beardy finished her sentence before her family interjected. 

“Mum went grey four years ago and dyes her hair!” Harvey junior shouted, “Mum was the one who put red socks in the washer and turned dads shirts pink!” Hero stood on his chair and called out. “My wife goes to a book club, but usually only reads the summary for the books online rather than actually reading the book.” Her husband spoke calmly amongst the chaos, a sly smile on his face. Jolene went red, then had to hold her sides in from laughing too hard. 

Rei smiled, letting slip a laugh. He remembered begging his dad to let him sleepover and always being dragged away, back to their own small apartment above the funeral home. After dessert and a second coffee that Rei politely declined, the family began their usual bedtime routine. Rei brushed his teeth with the brand new toothbrush he’d been given. He glanced into the mirror and tried to trick himself into thinking he belonged. His reflection didn’t seem fooled. 

Back in his bedroom, Rei carefully explored his father’s belongings. Books and stationery, work papers and a password protected laptop. Rei’s own small box of things took less than five minutes to unpack. He pushed a few of his fathers things into the now empty box and slid it under the bed. The glint of light on glass caught his eye, a framed photograph sat on the shelf between stacks of books detailing various funeral procedures. Picking it up, Rei couldn’t remember when it had been taken. He was sitting on his fathers shoulders, reaching up into the sky as if he could grab and rip it down in his tiny hands. His dad looked carefree. Rei put the photo facedown on the shelf and curled up in bed, wrapping his hands around his stomach. 

That night was filled with bad memories, churned up with worse dreams. He woke up sweating and breathing hard, his pupils red and the room shifting and sliding as his tried eyes strained to focus. Rei curled up in bed, the room smelled like his father and it was as if the meat grinder was still clicking and churning away in his head. The sticking clacks of each gear still echoing in his skull. He knew the truth, he knew his father was dead. 

He’d heard the footsteps, the voices, one of them is fathers. The other barely audible from inside his prison. Rei could smell ghoul and the small package of human that his father would bring him. After he was fed they would go over his lessons and watch some TV, but not this time. This time there was a scramble, the scrape of unsheathed Kagune and a dark cry. The grinder started to churn, spinning, crunching metal teeth biting and snapping more than the usual amount. Rei had felt his side split as the tube buckled with more mixture than it was used to. He’d pulled it apart, one side still skewered in his side. The other half swaying from the ceiling and dripping great chunks of mess over the floor. Rei only had the strength to do so because of the food forced into his belly. Whoever stood above him had run, leaving him behind with the sloppy chunks that used to be his father. 

Rei had sat perfectly still on the dirt floor, his breathing the only sign he hadn’t been physically petrified. His side send a bolt of pain through his ribs as the metal tubes mouth bit into him. He didn’t have the strength to break it or pull it out, not unless he ate something. But there was only one thing close by he he could eat. 

It had been a few months since then, Rei buried his face in his pillow. He’d only pulled out the broken tube and left the pyramid prison once he’d started to starve. Once all the ground up food had been eaten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I edited this on my phone, sorry if I missed some mistakes.
> 
> It fun to write something new again, Please Let me know what you think, it helps so much :)


	3. Balancing Act

The weekend was over and Rei woke up feeling perhaps more tired than when he went to sleep. Hero was dragging himself down the corridor reluctantly getting ready for school, followed by Willow who didn’t seem to mind school, she sat on the stairs with her purple sparkly backpack carefully placing items she probably wouldn’t need inside. Rei had a quick shower before putting on one of his dads old shirts and a pair of jeans Harvey had said he could keep.

He made his way down, avoiding the pencil cases and soft toys littering the stairs. He entered the kitchen where Jolene and Harvey senior were busy trying to make sure their kids has all their homework and at least one bite of breakfast before they were shuffled off into the car. “It’s pretty much always this chaotic. You’ll get used to it.” Harvey junior slapped him on the back. A piece of buttered toast crumbling in his hands.

“Alright, off we go. Don’t be late. I’ll drive.” Jolene smiled at him, “good morning Rei, Kettles on. I’ll be back soon.” She glowed with warmth and care, faffing with her kid hair and uniforms.

They left in a whirlwind of energy that made the house feel drained and empty afterwards. Rei was left in the kitchen wondering where the mugs were kept. After rummaging in what must have been every cupboard he found them and made himself a coffee. Harvey senior came back in from waving his kids off and sat down at the table, “I told work I was ill, don’t think I’ve done that since I was nineteen.” He let out a heavy laugh that trailed off when he noticed the humour had gone over Rei’s head. “Ah, so, I don’t like dancing around tense subjects but at the same time... I saw the place your dad kept you. I left the description of it to my wife rather vague. Rei, are you okay? Be honest now, you’re one of us now.”

Rei cupped his hands around his mug, feeling the warmth emanating from inside and flowing over his palms. He opened his mouth a fraction and bit his lip. Trying to phrase his feelings was not one of his strong points. “I... um, I don’t want to go back.” He felt a little foolish saying something so obvious, but at the same time, he was curious about what Harvey senior has seen. “My dad told me if I stayed there long enough I’d become human. When we went to Japan together he said he wanted to find my mother, he met her there when he went looking for his biological parents... he met some people and they said a ghoul couldn’t become human. He... disagreed.” Rei glanced up, hoping to see if this was what Harvey senior wanted to hear or not, but the man’s worn features remained stoic and told him nothing. “He put something in my food and drink, it stopped me from escaping. I think he got it from some ghoul prison. I... Um.” He drank more coffee, his voice resounding from inside the empty cup. “I wanted to believe him... I wanted him to be right.”

“I see, do you know where he is now?” Harvey senior leaned forward on the table, his hands under his beard.

“Japan maybe? I don’t know.” Rei shrugged, lying through his teeth he and jolted back slightly when Harvey got up without warning. He walked over, his board frame and dark shadow looming over Rei. For a moment Rei thought he could tell he’d lied, his shoulders tensed and and he squeezed his eyes shut.

Lifting his large rough arms, Harvey senior wrapped Rei in a warm bear hug. Gently squeezing him into a safe envelope of comfort. Rei took a moment to let his surprise sink away before leaning into the softness of his chest. The mans gently thumping heart a consistent comfort against the cold memories that plagued him. “Your dad was no stranger to secrets, that’s for sure. But to think he treated you that way. I have sons, I simply cannot fathom it.” Giving Rei another kind squeeze he stepped back, large rough hands on the boys shoulders. “Human or not, no one deserves to be treated that way. As long as your under my roof, you might as well be my third son. I’ll be having words with that father of yours when he gets back.” Rei felt a wetness in his eyes he hadn’t expected. Blinking rapidly he sniffed and rubbed the water away, trying to pretend it was nothing.

“Alright kiddo, I’ve skipped the meeting today but there is still plenty to do.” He patted Rei gently on the arm and started listing the days tasks. Grateful for the distraction, Rei helped as much as he could. He filled a basket with fresh eggs from the line of wooden chicken coops in the garden, each one delicate and still warm. The chickens were loud and flapped at the stranger in their home but he didn’t mind, gently shooing them away and laughing off whenever they pecked at his hands. The sun warmed his back as he refilled Silver’s food, she seemed a little nervous but tussled his hair with her muzzle and blew hot air in his face to ask if he was alright.

The rest of the day passed in bliss, even the weather stayed wonderfully peaceful. Jolene came back with bags of groceries, more clothes for Rei and at least four different types of coffee. She plonked it all down on the kitchen table and wiped sweat from her forehead. Rei came in and took off his muddy boots, going to help her unpack but feeling rather useless as he kept having to ask where everything was stored.

“Thank you Rei, here why don’t you try some of this on. I’ve got to ring the school, although it might be a while before you can join.” She smiled kindly and Rei returned the gesture, he hoped it would be later rather than sooner, he still wasn’t quite sold on the idea of education. Rei wanted to learn, but not whilst surrounded by humans. Jolene push tins of chopped tomatoes into a cupboard and started to gently sing along to the buzzing radio. Her voice echoing over the ceiling made the room feel warm.

Once everything was in its proper place, she sat down at the table with a notebook and pen. She picked up the phone and Rei listened as she began to introduce herself to the receptionist. He pretended not to be able to hear every word the man over the phone was saying.

“Hello, this is Jolene, Harvey’s mother.” She glanced up at him with an excited smile. “Yes, I’m inquiring about enrolment of a new student...My nephew. Oh?”

Rei tuned in after seeing Jolene’s tapping pen pause above the paper. The receptionist explained, “Would this be Rei? We have his information on file here ready to go.”

“I see... sorry, I’m not up to date with what my brother has told you...”

“We have it down here that Rei was involved in an accident in Japan and that we would be informed when he had recovered enough to attend school. Is that right?”

“...yes.” She lied, biting her lip. “When would he be able to attend?”

“Ah, well firstly please extend our congratulations on his recovery. As we already have his registration papers he can start next week at the soonest.” The receptionist tapped away on a keyboard.

“That’s perfect.” Jolene seemed both pleased and annoyed as she sorted out the last few details. Rei picked at his fingers under the table, feeling the torn hangnails heal up under his fingertips. After exchanging more information, Jolene hung up and placed her hands over her eyes, “when my brother comes back, I’m going to slap him.” She huffed before glancing over and smiling. “Don’t worry Rei, none of this is your fault.” Rei felt his stomach bubble. “Rei there’s one last thing though, I say last, I’m sure it won’t be, but I wanted to talk to you.” He nodded slowly and waited for her to speak. “Rei, after being told how my brother treated you, well, I’m not sure if I can trust my parents anymore. They adopted Takiyo and I, they are ghouls like him and ideally I’d like it if you had some ghouls your could rely on but... were they aware of what he did to you or...” she interlocked her fingers under her chin and sighed.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know.” Rei shuffled and gazed down at the wooden tabletop, wishing he could get lost in its scratches and knots.

“Its okay, you’re here now and you’re safe. That’s what matters.” She got up and flicked the kettle on, it’s bubbling a nice change from the quiet of the kitchen. As if summoned by the fresh pot of tea, Harvey senior came round from his small office room.

“Tea? Yes please.” He smiled, “ended up having the meeting over the phone, can’t ever seem to escape these things. Ah well, Rei, how about you check on the dogs after your break? I think I saw Bennett waiting for you at the gate.” He paused for a moment, thinking it over, “you know what I think you were here when that pup was born. Biggest one in the litter and still doesn’t seem to show any intention of slowing down.” He let out a hearty laugh. “Actually that dogs been fostered and brought back to us several times, behaviour issues apparently, never seen him sit so still before.”

Rei thanked them for the coffee and headed over to the dog shelter, both the adults asked if could manage on his own but he reassured them that he’d take it slow. Making his way over to the dog field, Rei spotted Bennett sitting at the fence. The hound jumped for joy when he saw him, leaping up and spinning in happy dizzying circles, letting slip a few playful yaps. “Hello Benny.” Rei leaned over the gate and rubbed the dogs furry cheeks.

Inside he cleaned the water bowls, wiped up spillages and shook out all of the dog beds, feeling his arms quickly grow used the labour. Bennett followed him about, nudging his side when he was about to slip and even dragging some of the hairy blankets outside. Rei patted his head and wondered why anyone would send back a dog like him. “Good boy.” He said, scratching behind Bennett’s ear until his foot stamped on the ground. A memory of begging his dad for a puppy came flooding back, “Benny, do you remember me?” Rei sat on then grass, the heaving lump of fur plopping down next to him. “Maybe you do.” Bennett licked his hand and rolled over to show his belly.

Rei talked to Bennett for a while, deciding that if he was going to school he should probably warm up his vocal cords a little. To many words made him cough, but any damage healed over stronger, he winced but felt better for it.

Finishing up the cleaning routine he’d been shown the previous day, Rei headed towards the house. Bennett whined when he left, putting his paws on the gate posts and drooping his head so that his eyes looked big and cute. “I don’t think they’ll want your hair all over the house.” Rei patted the giant dogs head before leaving.

He made his way back to the house, pausing as he heard the voices from within speak his name. “You’re sure this is okay? Rei is a ghoul after all.” Jolene was biting her nails. Her husband replied, “He’s also a kid, he belongs around people his own age.” Rei felt a twinge in his gut eavesdropping so he opened the door and tried to wipe his feet noisily enough to be noticed. “Rei!” Jolene poked her head out from the kitchen doorway, “thank you for helping out, how about you take a break. Watch some TV or something.”

Rei wiped his glasses on his sleeves and took off his shoes, “Thank you.” He said quietly, wanting to talk more but unsure of what to say. Jolene lead him to the living room and made sure he was comfy on the sofa, it was only after he’d relaxed did he feel the pull of his arm muscles straining after working past their low limits. He watched the flashing images on the television, not particularly focused on any of the information he was seeing. Feeling his eyelids grow heavy, Rei drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

“Rei?” Jolene shook him awake later that afternoon, her long hair tickling his face. “How about I tidy up your hair today? I admit, I sort of rushed it last time.” She smiled and patted her trusty bag of scissors. The family lived on the outskirts of a small town which lacked its own salon or barbers, Harvey junior had to be dropped off at the train station each morning to get to his high school in the neighbouring city. Rei nodded and sat up slowly, feeling a little dizzy.

Scissors snipped rhythmically and locks of Rei’s dark hair drifted lazily to the floor. Rei gazed at his palms as Jolene carefully shaped his hair into a more respectable style. Her husband and the kids came back just as she was finishing up. “There,” She said kindly, “Pop your glasses on and let me know what you think, I can take a bit more off if you think it’s still too long.” Doing as he was told, Rei went over to the hallway mirror and had to blink a few times to make sure it was really his reflection in front of him. He’d gone from looking like some sort of scruffy homeless kid to a normal student. Harvey junior grinned from behind him, Rei could see him throw his bag over the banister and give him a friendly thumbs up. Then his face fell and he let out an annoyed huff, “Mum! I changed my mind! He can’t go to my school!”

“Why not? Did your teachers say something?” Jolene looked worried and she gripped the broom she was using to sweep up the fallen hair tightly.

“No. He just looks too good! He’s gonna be super popular!” Harvey laughed, slapping Rei on the shoulder, “Jeez, don’t look so worried, I was just kidding. Almost, seriously, you look great.”

“Thanks.” Rei smiled, pushing his glasses up his nose, feeling more than ever that he’d found a place where he belonged.

—

The next few days passed easily, Rei ignored the growing hole of hunger in his gut. He would sit and smile as the family as they ate meals, nursing his coffee as if it was his only connection to them. As if the second he let go of that cup he would be dragged away back to his old prison.

Wednesday came around almost too quickly. The morning containing the usual bustle, except this time everyone was headed out of the house for the day. Harvey senior was going to drop the kids off at school and Jolene was taking Rei to the funeral home. Rei’s completion had improved, but he still looked more like a corpse going off to its final resting place than a normal human. Dressing in his new clothes, Jolene had insisted he wear something smart, he felt a little stiff but tired to stay calm.

After being wished good luck by everyone Rei slid into Jolene’s car. Clipping on his seatbelt and trying to remember the last time he was inside a car. The interiors had changed quite a bit since he’d last seen one, then again, so had phones, TV’s and most other technology. The years he’d spent locked away had held him back in more ways than he could have ever imagined.

“Relax, you can treat this like a job interview, it’s good practice for later in life.” Jolene adjusted the rear view mirror and smiled. “Don’t even worry about it Rei, you’ll do great. Although I admit, I don’t know how many of the staff are ghouls so perhaps don’t let your guard down until you’re sure it’s safe.”

“I’ll be able to tell.” Rei put his hands on his knees and tried to calm his beating heart down.

“Oh, I suppose the smell gives it away.” Jolene nodded, “My parents told me that but honestly, I’ve spent so long away from ghouls that I forget all those little details.” She sounded almost guilty. “Anyway, you can call me on that phone and I’ll pick you up after. You know how to use it? Sorry it’s an old one.”

“I think so…” he slipped the rectangle from his pocket and saw his own worried expression in the black glass. The car rolled out and they drove for twenty minutes or so with the radio playing songs Rei had never heard before.

Jolene slowed down outside of the funeral home so that Rei could hop out, “Ask for Ash, call me later, good luck!” She called out, unable to stop for long or she’d cause a traffic jam. Her car zoomed away and Rei swallowed, his hands unable to keep still.

The front of the parlour was painted with shining black gloss, pillars around the door lead to steps and a tall deep red door with silver details stood infront of him. Not wanting to be seen lingering outside he pushed it open, hearing the tinkle of a silver bell above him. The reception area was just as sleek and modern as the outside, with a large black desk and shelves showcasing different types of urn filling one wall. A large bunch of flowers made Rei’s nose itch and he tried to summon his courage. The place didn’t look anything like he remembered, the door to his dad’s old flat had been plastered over. There wasn’t even a crack or glimmer of evidence to show there had ever been a door.

“Can I help you?” A voice chimed out from behind the desk. Rei sniffed, he hadn’t smelled another ghoul in years, yet as soon as the scent touched his nose he knew the receptionist wasn’t human.

“Hello, I’m Rei…” He stepped over to the desk and brushed back his hair, not used to it being so short.

“Oh shit, you are.” She smiled in a way that showed plenty of teeth. “Alright, it’s been ages, damn. Follow me, we can talk in the back.” He followed her through a door and down into the shop’s centre, passing closed office doors with staff only signs.

“I was told to ask for Ash.” Rei tried not to be distracted by the oil paintings and framed certificates on each wall.

“Yeah, that’s me.” Ash replied, her black long cardigan flowing out behind her. She had a small squat frame and neat black hair full of bobby pins and clips. “I knew your dad, not very well mind you, but we help each other out here. They moved the flat entrance to round the back a few years ago, its been a bugger having the police up and down there all the time. Ah sorry, I’ve been told I’m pretty tackless for a funeral director.” She opened a metal door with a black key and lead him inside.

The room before them was cold, fans hummed, keeping everything at a chilled temperature. Rei shivered. “You’ll get used to it.” Ash didn’t seem bothered by the sudden change in temperature. “Alright, this is only a small mortuary, its a small town after all. So I don’t have many staff, oh and I only hire other ghouls so you can relax.” Rei nodded, not relaxing in the slightest. Ash pushed passed a plastic certain and Rei felt his heart jump.

On a metal table was a body, covered in a thin sheet. They wore a black suit and had been taken care of, embalmed carefully to preserve them and make it seem as if they were sleeping. The fans had hidden the smell but being so close, Rei couldn’t help but feel his mouth fill with saliva.

“Okie-dokie.” Ash clapped her hands. “We take the organs from those people we embalm and replace the weight of those with closed caskets. But they have families so we do so with the respect they deserve.” She rolled back the sheet and clasped the hand of the corpse. “Mr Mason, it’s thanks to you that we don’t have to harm any humans in order to live. Be at peace and know that the shell you leave behind here saves the lives of many others.” She closed her eyes a for a moment before putting back the sheet and gently adjusting the dead mans shirt cuff. “Huh, Dom is usually skulking around here at this time.”

“I don’t skulk.” A voice behind Rei made him jump and he turned to see a tall tanned ghoul holding take-out coffee’s in a card carrier. “I’m just naturally stealthy.” He glanced down at Rei as if inspecting him. “Takiyo’s kid huh? He told us you’d kicked the bucket.”

Ash sighed, “I swear Rei, we are a lot more tactful when there are living customers around.” She took a coffee from Dom, who handed one to Rei. “Righty-O then, Rei you’ll be doing some cleaning, odd jobs, don't worry about customers. Rose does all that, she’s the best at it. You’re dad did a lot of out finances but I’ve put sourced that for now.”

“Rose?” Rei asked, sipping his coffee and trying not to glance at the corpse.

“My wife.” Ash explained, “Its just us three here, this is the prep room, we’ve got offices and reception upstairs but that’s about it. The chapel is only down the road so no need to have one here. Although we do have a viewing room and an area with coffins and flowers for sale. You’ll probably end up wrapping a few and unloading when we get orders in. What else…” She tapped her painted red lips, “Oh we get loads of blood here so if you ever need to suppress your appetite just ask, its safer if you eat here but we do deliver a few packages to some ghouls outside of town. Mostly they just pop round the back. There’s a coffee shop run by humans next door so we wrap up the food all nice and hand it over like a gift. Avoids any suspicion that way.”

Rei nodded and Dom took over, “I work in this room. I’ll make sure you don’t go hungry, but you’ve got to trust us, all it takes is one slip up and the doves will burn us all down. The only clients we don’t touch are those going to be cremated, if we cut them open then sent them down to the crematorium outside of town they might notice. Luckily the folks in this town are rather old fashioned.”

Dom leaned over and gave Rei’s shoulder a comforting squeeze. “Misses Hunter told us about her brother, your dad. He hid you away?”

“Yeah…” Rei focused on his coffee, hoping they didn’t expect him to explain everything. He’d forgotten Jolene and her family had a different surname to his own.

“Thats pretty awful. He never asked for extra’s so I had no idea. I suppose he must have shared the food we gave him with you. We had police here asking about him a few times but the guy kept to himself. You shouldn’t go upstairs just yet though, would cause trouble if the police noticed someone had been inside the flat.” Dom had piercings covering his ears and a detailed tattoo of climbing plants over one arm, his kind eyes looked down on Rei with pity and care.

“Yeah. Well, how about you come here four hours every Saturday? Its not much but we can up it later, I’ll pay you wages and put you on the books. Anyone asks you can say you moved here and got a job so you could help look for your dad.” Ash put her hand on her hip, her coffee cup lid stained with a perfect red lip print.

“Thank you.” Rei rubbed one eye, adjusting his glasses and wishing he’d escaped his fathers jail sooner.

“Hey hey, don’t worry about it. We gotta look out for one another.” Ash waved her hand, her painted nails shining under the halogen lights, “Now, let’s eat something.”

—

After eating prepared packages of carefully sliced organs mixed together like a macabre crimson salad, the three of them shredded the evidence. “Huh, you know what, you really are a skinny kid.” Ashley gave him a poke in the ribs, “can you even sustain a Kakuga with that body?”

“Ash. I’ve got that motorcycle accident victim.” Dom nodded towards one of the draws in the wall. Metal and shiny, each one stamped with a black number.

“Yeah, that’s a closed casket. Huh, well. Do you want to heal up Rei?” She asked.

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you mean.” Rei wiped his mouth, paranoid he’d left blood around his face.

“You’re thin, unhealthy thin. But us ghouls heal fast, so long as we have enough fuel.” Ash waved her hand, hoping that Rei would catch her drift. He didn’t. Mostly because he didn’t want to.

“Rei, if you eat more you’ll regain your strength and your body will heal up to a healthy shape. It’s a good idea, you do stick out a bit the way you look now.” Dom spoke as kindly as possible. “The motorcycle victim was an unexpected customer so we don’t need the meals. You should help yourself.”

Rei wanted to say no, but his guts disagreed, as did the bones visible though his skin and the drained colour of his face. “I... if you think I’ll fit in better.” He mumbled, nodding. Dom got up and slid open a metal draw with a slight creak, the tray rattled out and the two ghouls let Rei stand by its side. Ash handed him an apron and looked down into his pale face, “it’s alright Rei, we know how much food we gave your dad, so we know you must have been starving for the past few years. Think of this as one big meal to help you turn back into a normal ghoul again.” They left him with the corpse and Rei couldn’t help but wonder if he even wanted to be a normal ghoul.

Snapping already shattered bone Rei bit down into cold flesh, tearing muscles and ripping ligaments apart with gloved hands. The strength restoring to his body as each mouthful healed over his aching arms, thin skin and bony frame. Teeth chomping down, Rei felt his mouth fill with bubbles of melting sinew, fats and textured organs rupturing over his tongue. Nothing but a mess of crushed human was left behind when he finished. Taking a breath and trying to pry his eyes away from what was left of his meal.

“Feel better?” Dom asked helping remove the red, goo covered gloves and apron. “You didn’t hold back.”

“Sorry.” Rei felt and energy inside him he’d never had before, a kind of buzzing excited confidence he didn’t realise he had hidden away.

“Don’t apologise, starvation is hell for a ghoul. Besides, you look better already.” Dom smiled and ruffled Rei’s hair, lifting his glasses from his nose to run them under the tap before returning them.

Ash and Dom patiently waited for Rei to regain control over his eyes before they left. “Sorry, I tired never letting them out but recently I find it hard to control.”

“If you force them away they’ll only become harder to manage. It’s alright, just take a deep breath and let them fade.” Dom smiled, letting his own eyes flick from white to black and back again as an example. Rei tried, closing his eyelids and breathing deeply.

“Thanks, my dad didn’t like seeing my eyes that way. So I tried not to let them show...” Rei let his sentence fade, he felt a little more comfortable talking about his dad with other ghouls but realised they probably had very little use for such information.

“Strange guy, your dad. Well, let’s go.” Ash opened the door and locked it behind her, explaining more details of the job as they walked back towards the shop front. Someone new sat at reception when they entered to room. Pink nails tapping quickly on the computer keys, “Hello! You must be Rei!” Rose hopped up and offered her hand, she wore white and pink and had a broach shaped like a cat. “It’s lovely to meet you, although I do hope you’ll be a little more talkative than your father. Mustn’t speak ill of the missing but he was quite the stoic character on those rare occasions he would actually be out of his office.” She gave Rei several forms to fill out and put all the staff numbers in his phone. “Let us know if you see anyone in white with a large briefcase, ghoul hunters or Doves as we call them. Can’t be too careful. I’ll be in contact with the police soon to see if we can go and pack up your fathers things. He rented the flat from me after all so it is my property, but it’s been plenty of time and you are probably eager to have a look around your old home.”

“Not really.” Rei shuffled in the black leather chair, “I don’t remember the flat much.” Rei knew his father was dead, even if he’d chosen to keep that information quiet. The idea of going into his old home was a blast from the past he’d rather avoid. Up in those cold rooms his dad would switch from the calm warm figure he would be in-front of others to a cold, dead eyed commanding man that did nothing but watch TV and read foreign magazines. Rei remembered the cold nights and closed fists he’d receive for disobeying his dad and had no wish to see those rooms again.

After the paperwork was done, Rei called Jolene and asked her to pick him up. Rose chatted to him about the work they did as he waited for her car. “So it’s not all that tricky once you get used to it, lots of paperwork and consoling families, dusting and sweeping, coffee runs that’s sort of thing. You’ll be just fine here okay.” She shook his hand once more before he left, thanking him on his way out.

“So, how did it go?” Jolene smiled as Rei pulled the car door shut sharply and the engine roared to life.

“Fine, I met all the staff and they said I’d mostly be cleaning up the place.” He fiddled with his shirt buttons and noticed the sudden change in scents between the human and ghouls worlds.

“Wonderful. That’s that sorted then I suppose. The police say I can’t go into Takiyo’s flat yet, but never mind that, you’re looking healthy!” She smiled. “Wow, I mean you look like you were never sick, not that you looked ill before, well, maybe a little if I’m being honest.” Jolene adjusted her grip, glad that Rei looked better but knowing what she did about ghouls, she also knew what he’d have to do to improve his health in such a sort time.

“Thank you.” Rei gazed out the window at shop fronts he half recognised. The town hadn’t changed much, old coats of paint had cracked and signs had been replaced but overall, the shape of the place remained the same. The car drove on, down winding roads and on to rough crumbling tracks, crunching gravel creating an uneven melody as it flicked up and pinged off the cars sides. A fresh scent washed away the smell of urban life as they drove further, the radio still humming quietly.

Back at the farm, Rei helped Jolene unload her shopping, surprised by how easy the heavy packets of dog food were to lift. He’d never felt strength like this and was eager to test his limits. Jolene picked up on his expression, “Rei, ghouls are a lot stronger than humans. You should get used to your strength before going to school. My brother, your dad, when we were your age he got into a fight at school... he didn’t mean to hurt anyone but accidents happen.”

Rei nodded, running a hand over his arm as if it wasn’t his own. “He told me, he said he didn’t want me to hurt your kids, it was one of the reasons he locked me away.”

“I see.” Jolene sighed and then huffed, her cheeks flushing red, “Good grief! If he’d only told me that’s how he felt! I could have pointed out how stupid he was being. Okay, Rei, see that shed.” She nodded towards a small wooden shack that leaned into the side of their converted barn home. “We keep wood in there, behind it is a chopping block so why don’t you get cutting and find out how strong you really are!” She flexed her own arm and patted the muscle.

“Um, okay.” Rei nodded, unconvinced that this method would work but willing to try it all the same. He opened the woodshed and picked up one of the large orange bags, slinging it over his shoulder, a task which yesterday would have been almost impossible for him.

The blocks inside where large round chunks of wood from thick heavy branches. Jolene pointed out the neater, triangular ones at the back of the shed and told him to try and cut the wood that shape. He nodded and glanced around, “but you haven’t given me an axe...” he said, drifting off as he realised she’d already left. Rei took out one of the wooden blocks and dug his fingers into the cracks in its bark, but all that did was pull the bark off and send the wood spinning into the grass below. He put his food on the wood and pushed down, feeling the splinters inside tense and snap as he applied more pressure. The wood let out a loud crack and Rei felt himself fall forward as his food went through the wood and stamped hard into the ground. “Okay.” He said aloud, that works.” The semi circular blocks were easier to grip and he broke both pieces in half again with just his hands. Although, he was sure that sort of strength would be impossible for humans his size.

After about half and hour Rei grew a little bored of breaking up chunks of wood, he placed one piece onto the chopping block and glanced around. No one was watching, unless you count the various grazing animals. Breathing deeply, Rei let his Kagune slip out from under his shirt. The tail looked longer and sturdier than before, its black scales shining under the light. Lifting it high, Rei let the hooded end fall and slice through the wooden block as it it was made of butter. He blinked, sheathed his Kagune and swallowed. “Oops.” He let slip, seeing the sliced wood fall and thump on the ground. The chopping block too, had been sliced cleanly in half and a deep rut was freshly cut into the ground below. Rei decided not to try that again.

Taking off his shoes, Rei sheepishly entered the house. Jolene was in the back room, inspecting a series of incubators and making notes on a clipboard about the eggs inside. “Hello Rei, we’ve got chicken eggs here and ducks in that one. They should be hatching sometime next week.”

“About your chopping block…” Rei twisted his fingers around and bit his lip. “I sort of broke it.”

“Oh?” She seemed surprised at first but then let out a small laugh, “Don’t worry, it was just an old stump.” She went back to examining the eggs and Rei peered over to look inside. The delicate shells were being kept cosy and warm, ready to break out and start living. Rei helped out with various chores until the end of the day, his arms no longer feeling the ache of each movement.

When the others returned, all four of them had to stare at Rei for an awkward amount of time. “Okay, that doesn’t seem fair.” Harvey junior rubbed the plasters on his chin. “I mean, I’ve heard of thirty minute workouts but didn’t think they actually, ya know, worked.” He laughed at his own joke as Hero hopped out from behind his brothers legs.

“You don’t look so scary anymore Rei!” He grinned, Willow just skipped from the door to hide behind her mothers legs.

“Junior, tell your mother what you told me.” Their dad was trying and failing to hold back a laugh.

“Do I have to?” Harvey junior mumbled, his parents glances giving him the answer. “Okay… The kids at school asked how I cut my face and I couldn’t tell them the truth, so I said… urm.”

“What did you tell them?” Jolene asked flatly, almost dreading the reply.

“I said I got it shaving.” Harvey junior mumbled, flushing red. His parents paused then laughed, which just made Harveys cheeks grow more red until he resembled a ripe tomato. “Oh shut up! I was put on the spot! I couldn’t exactly tell the truth.” He reached into his bag and pulled out some slightly crumpled papers. “Here, its Rei’s induction forms and timetable.” He slapped them onto the table. “Now stop laughing.”

“Thank you Junior,” his dad smiled, “and don’t worry son, when you do start shaving I’ll show you how to use a razor rather than a gutting knife.” He tapped his son’s chin affectionally. Both parents trying to hide their worry under kind smiles and friendly laughter.

“Ha-ha whatever.” Harvey junior grumbled, “Come on Rei, school gave me some test papers for you so they know which class to stick you in. I’ll give you a hand.” He grabbed Rei’s arm and lead him upstairs into his bedroom. The walls covered in band posters and shelves of figurines carefully posed on each shelf. He had an old record player and a stack of vintage disks in one corner, the device hooked up to a large old speaker. His electric guitar hanging on a stand at the end of his messy bed. Harvey cleared a space on the desk and slapped the papers down. “Here, I’ll grab a pen.” He smiled, “Im in the year above you but I’ve got some buddies in your year. Damn I wonder if there are any other ghouls in my school. That’d be weird.”

Rei smiled and picked up the pen, filling in his name. He paused at the second question, “Um, I’m not sure I know this…” Harvey glanced over his shoulder and seemed surprised.

“I’ll ask mum, just leave it blank for now.” He hurried downstairs and Rei felt a little embarrassed that he couldn’t remember his own birthday. It wasn’t as if he’d celebrated it during the past few years. He flicked over the page and found the questions surprisingly manageable. After all, he hadn’t done anything in the prison except sleep and read the same few textbooks over and over. He had limited space to move around in and couldn’t watch TV unless his dad had connected the antenna up, Rei assumed it was because he didn’t want anyone hearing the noise and coming to snoop. He heard Harvey’s footsteps jog up the stairs and the door swung open.

“Rei! Your birthday is in two weeks! Let me know what gift you want!” He seemed excited, jumping on the bed and playing some sort of happy birthday remix on his guitar. Rei finished the papers, which were a mix of maths, English and science. He struggled the most with English as he hadn't had many chances to practice his handwriting. “Alright, you’re all set.” Harvey shoved the paper back into his school bag and pulled out his phone. “My friends have asked loads about you. Here, smile!” His phone made a snapping noise as he held it up infant of them. “Ah, wait that one sucks.” He tried a few more until finding one he was happy with and sending it to his friends. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“No, it’s fine, does my phone have a camera?” He asked, slipping it from his pocket. Harvey snorted then realised Rei was being serious and quickly started showing him how to use the phone.

The week passed quickly and it wasn’t long before Sunday had drifted around once more, Rei had everything he would need packed into a messenger bag hanging on the end of his bed. He’d spend a few hours sweeping and mopping the floors at the funeral home the day before, the’d given him lunch so that he wouldn’t go hungry on his first day. Rei worried about being in crowds, being around humans and having to sit and eat lunch with them all. Luckily Jolene had told the school the same excuse his father had always used, that he was allergic to olive oil, onion power, citric acid and various other various food stuffs that were all very common ingredients. She’d said that his allergies weren’t serious but that it was best not to tempt fate. Rei curled up under his duvet, the room smelling less like his father everyday.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t seem to get the picture to load right, can you see it?

**Author's Note:**

> Not very confident with this one as it doesn't have the original characters in, although I might have them cameo later on. Tokyo Ghoul has been really inspirational, both the art work and the story, so I wanted to try writing something set in the same world, using the same rules. 
> 
> Mainly I wrote this as a distraction from everything happening in the world today, being a key worker keeps me really busy but I can't get away from the big C. I even have to spend two days a week testing loads of the staff for it. Scary stuff. 
> 
> Stay Safe everyone.


End file.
